Users often want to track their cargo as it journeys from one location to another. Users generally purchase and install dedicated hardware and software to perform this tracking. However, there are several problems with this approach.
First, purchasing and maintaining dedicated hardware and software can be costly for users. In addition to purchasing the hardware and software, users also have to contract with communication services and hosting services to receive information from the dedicated hardware devices. This can include, for example, negotiating and maintaining roaming partner lists, billing rates, and service packages. Once a tracking system is in place, users typically have to maintain the hardware and software. For example, users are generally responsible for tracking SIM cards, performing hardware and software upgrades, optimizing the hardware and software for international performance, detecting obsolescence, and performing routine maintenance and health checks of the hardware and software. In addition, the user must manage forward logistics and reverse logistics and control for the risk of devices failing.
Second, the dedicated hardware and software purchased by users typically tracks conveyances (e.g., trucks, ships, trains, etc.) used to transport cargo, rather than individual pieces of cargo itself. The dedicated hardware also often requires power from the conveyances themselves.
Finally, users who use this dedicated hardware are generally presented with raw tracking data, without details of the surrounding context of the shipment. This can limit the usefulness of the tracking data, as integrating the various sources of data is expensive.